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The song was first composed by Truman Rickard in 1904 and was performed on May 28, Class Day. The song's second verse originally honored the school's president, Cyrus Northrop, who went by the nickname "Prexy". Northrop appreciated the gesture, but preferred to have the song reflect the school and state rather than himself. A new second verse was written by Arthur Upson, an editor at the campus newspaper, the Minnesota Daily.

In the next few years, the song gained popularity, and was even sung at football games whenever there was a touchdown. However, the slow ballad proved to be incongruous with the atmosphere at an athletic event like that, so it was eventually succeeded in that role by The "Minnesota Rouser." Rickard also went on to write another school song, "Minnesota Fight."

Older generations of Minnesota children were rarely taught the song in school, but this practice has waned. However, the song was promoted again as part of the state sesquicentennial celebration in 2008, with the Mahtomedi High School Chamber Singers making an official recording of it in 2006 for the Secretary of State.